


Forgive me brother

by youwishpreppy



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Fluff, Grief/Mourning, Hurt/Comfort, Light Angst, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-04
Updated: 2019-05-04
Packaged: 2020-02-21 14:20:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,820
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18704059
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/youwishpreppy/pseuds/youwishpreppy
Summary: Fangs has feelings for Kevin and wants to take the next step by asking Kevin to be his date to prom. But before he can do that he has to visit Joaquin's grave and let his dead friend know about his plans.





	Forgive me brother

Fangs and Sweet Pea had buried Joaquin in a quiet place in the woods. They had made the decision after Jughead had left. The other option would have been to call the sheriff, but the thought of their brother, who already had to endure so much suffering, ending up on a cold autopsy table hadn't been a thought they could bear.

And so they had picked up Joaquin's lifeless body and carried him deep into the forest, walking on the trails of their childhood. All three of them had used to play here as kids when life on the Southside became too much and they needed to escape for a few hours to play hide and seek in between the tall trees.

Fangs had cried all the way, feeling guiltier than he ever had before. He had failed his friend. He should have done the right thing, should have said no when Jughead asked them to hunt Joaquin down and force him to spill G&G secrets. The very least they could have done was to make sure afterward that Joaquin was ok. They should have brought him to the bus stop, put him onto the next bus out of town, and made sure he would be safe.

Instead, they had just left him there, and the next time they would see him he'd be on the Serpent throne, eyes staring unseeingly into space and lips blue from that damned liquid in the G&G chalice.

It had taken the whole day until they had buried Joaquin. By the time they had finished the sun was already setting, but they didn't go back yet. Instead, they had stayed the entire night, setting up a makeshift headstone out of a little rock they found, working on it with their knives until it had a small inscription:

"Joaquin. Serpent, brother, friend. Never forgotten."

Fangs returned to this grave many times, feeling guilty and trying to make amends by sitting here and talking to Joaquin. He told him about his life, the Serpents, school, and about Kevin, of course, the love of Joaquin's life.

Joaquin and Fangs had been close friends. Joaquin had helped him a lot when Fangs had realized he wasn't only into girls, and when Fangs' mom had gotten sick, Joaquin had been there for him, knowing how Fangs felt because Joaquin had been through the same.

They had been pretty alike, both the tough Southsider on the one side, doing anything they had to do to survive, both sure that they wanted to join the Serpents from a young age. But they had shared another side too, a softer side.

Joaquin had talked about Kevin nonstop, so head over heels in love with the last person he should have fallen for, the sheriff's son. However, Fangs had never told his friend to give Kevin up. It had been so obvious that the preppy boy from the Northside was Joaquin's everything, his hopeful light. Fangs had supported their relationship, had listened to Joaquin gush about Kevin, and Fangs had wished him good luck.

He had kept an eye on Kevin after Joaquin had to leave town, feeling responsible for making sure the boy his friend loved so much was ok.

A little smile crept over Fangs' face as he remembered that time. Kevin had turned his attempts at becoming friends down repeatedly, and Fangs would never forget Kevin's face when he found out Fangs and Joaquin were friends. He looked almost comical. Fangs had laughed about it later on with Sweet Pea until his stomach hurt.

Back then they all had still thought things between Kevin and Joaquin would work out one day. Fangs had been convinced that Joaquin would come back and that he and Kevin would be boyfriends again. They had been a sweet couple, and it had seemed as if they belonged together no matter what.

But of course, death took that away.

Fangs had made sure that he was there when Kevin found out. He had tried his best to help him and hugged Kevin, using all his strength to hold him, when Kevin was struggling and trying to push him off, so desperate in his grief. But Fangs had held onto Kevin and whispered to him how much Joaquin had loved him and that no one could ever take that away from Kevin.

Fangs had told Kevin the whole truth and allowed the other boy to hit him when he had heard about the events leading up to Joaquin's death. It had felt good to finally get this reaction. Kevin had been screaming at him, punching him, furious that Fangs hadn't protected Joaquin. He gave Fangs a huge black eye, and Fangs had worn it like a trophy. He deserved it, and he was glad Kevin had done it.

Once Kevin's anger had faded and his grief had turned quieter, Fangs had brought him into the woods to Joaquin's grave, where Kevin had been able to say goodbye to his first love.

Kevin and Joaquin had already been separated for a long time, and Kevin had even started something with Moose in the meantime, but everyone who had seen Kevin's face after he had met Joaquin during his escape from juvie knew that Joaquin would always mean a lot to him. It was only fair that he could come here and be close to Joaquin whenever he felt the need to do so. It was also something Fangs wanted for Joaquin. The thought of Joaquin having his hopeful light here in front of his grave was comforting.

The months passed. Fangs still visited Joaquin's grave frequently, telling his brother about what was going on in Riverdale. It was a dark story, but he always included funny little things that had happened, something Sweet Pea said, or some joke Fangs had seen on tv. And he talked about Kevin.

Fangs had stayed close to him after what had happened to Joaquin. He watched Kevin date Moose, witnessed him being miserable when Moose didn't want to be seen in public with him, saw him be happy for a few days after Moose finally came out and watched him turn sad again after Moose left him to live somewhere else.

Fangs tried his best to cheer Kevin up, but it wasn't until they worked on the musical and both befriended Evelyn that they became more than just acquaintances.

At first, it was a farm thing. They were both high after eating Evelyn's brownies, and they practiced for the musical, getting really into the love song they were singing. The kiss happened in the heat of the moment. Afterward, they both didn't know what to do with it. But after a few awkward days, they started to talk again as friends. They spent more and more time together, and Fangs realized that he really liked Kevin a lot.

They kissed again, this time without the influence of drugs, and that turned into casual dates, going to Pop's for milkshakes and watching movies together in the Bijou. It wasn't quite clear what they were, just really close friends who liked to make out or something more. But Fangs knew that it definitely meant more for him.

Prom was coming up, and Fangs wanted to ask Kevin to be his date. He already had a plan, but somehow he was still hesitant, and it wasn't because he was nervous or feared rejection. It was because of Joaquin.

Going to prom with Kevin would mean a serious step in their relationship. It would mean that they would be on the path to becoming official boyfriends. At least that was how Fangs saw it. He wanted to be Kevin's boyfriend, but he needed to talk to Joaquin first.

And so he went into the woods once again, crouching down before his friend's grave.

"Hey, Joaquin. I have to tell you something. I already told you about Kevin and me... about the kiss right? And that we were flirting a bit and spending time together. Well it has become more than that. To me at least."

He took a deep breath, looking at the headstone Sweet Pea and he had put into the soil, reading the inscription again and again. Yes, Joaquin had been his friend, his brother. He would always be, and Fangs owed him an explanation. He continued in a slightly hoarse voice, thick with emotion.

"I know how much you loved Kevin. And he loved you. I am so sorry that the two of you never got a second chance.."

He trailed off, biting his lip and looking away from the little headstone, letting his gaze travel over the trees, taking a moment to listen to the birds chirping. It was a peaceful place, and he sure hoped he wouldn't disturb this peace by what he was about to do.

He gulped hard and turned back to look at the grave, continuing with what he had come here for.

"I love him too. I never would have given in to those feelings if you were still alive, Joaquin, but... I... I fell in love with Kevin, and I want to be his boyfriend. I promise you that I will take good care of him. I will give everything to make him happy. I will be there for him, listen to his problems, try to cheer him up, and I will keep your memory alive. I will let him know that he can talk to me about you. I will bring you up, you will always be a part of his life and of mine. We will remember you together."

He felt relief wash over him after saying all this out loud. A few tears were running down his cheeks by now, dripping down onto the wildflowers that were growing on Joaquin's grave.

Fangs stayed silent for several minutes, just looking at the flowers, putting one hand onto the ground to steady himself. Nothing happened, no storm came up, no lightning struck, no wild animal jumped out of the trees to attack him. He chuckled quietly. What had he been expecting? It was stupid. Of course, nothing would happen. But he had done the right thing by telling Joaquin about him and Kevin, he was convinced of this.

Fangs wiped the rest of the tears away with the sleeve of his Serpent jacket, feeling much more at peace now and ready to head back to prepare everything for his surprise for Kevin. A smile was spreading over his face as he thought about what he had planned. He got to his feet again and smiled at Joaquin's headstone, giving his old friend a little salute.

"I am going to give him the best promposal ever, bro. You would be proud of me. I'll tell you about his reaction. Or maybe he should tell you himself. I'll make sure to send him over!"

 

 


End file.
